The present invention relates to a crosspush conveyor which will push groups or clusters of cans or articles into outer cartons as the cans and cartons are being conveyed parallel and in synchronization with each other.
In the prior art, various tray and carton loaders have been advanced. U.S. Pat. No. 5,052,544 shows a can loader pusher which is positioned to move at an angle relative to movement of a conveyor that carries groups of cans for loading the cans into outer sleeves. The pusher causes groups of cans to move laterally of the conveyor carrying the cans and uses a cam and follower arrangement to load the cans into open ended outer sleeves.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,237,673 to Calvert et al. also shows a typical carton grouping and loading device which utilizes conveyors carrying the cans, and segregating them into opposite ends of an outer sleeve or carton. The principle of providing divider rails and conveyors that will form the cans into proper sized groups for loading is shown in this patent, as well as in U.S. Pat Nos. 3,990,572 and 4,982,551.